Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stickhead on June 11, 2007, 10:21:56 am
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Hi all,
I've been working with ERC lately, and loving it. But before I do another trial and error adventure, I thought I'd ask.
Does anybody have ERC advice for: Bending in reflex? Recurving the tips? Steam or dry heat? Heat treating the belly?
Thanks for any wisdom,
-Tom
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Tom, I also am interested in the answer you get. I have plans for a short, bend through the handle, west coast style, sinew backed bow with recurved tips. ERC is my bow wood choice. Pat
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sapwood seems to bend quite easily.
heartwood, not so much. I had trouble bending the tips on an ERC recurve that I broke a while back. boiled the tips for 45 minutes (each) - one bent ok, the other cracked on the belly when I put it in my jig.
still want to make a sinew backed ERC recurve but have considered splicing in recurves much like a composite [horn, wood, sinew] bow. that's halfway down my list of bows to make.. ;)
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Ive reflexed one piece with dry heat and it worked fine at the time but the bow eventually exploded many shots later, I'm not sure I would use dry heat on soft woods like erc again..... :P
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It's hard to dry heat bend the heartwood. Can be done but you really have to sock the heat to it.
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Would a kerfed and spined recurve be more appropriate for ERC and similar woods? Pat